A report on Penis and Urethra

The urethra transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. This image shows (a) a female urethra and (b) a male urethra.

Females have corkscrew vaginas with many blind pockets designed for difficult penetration and to prevent becoming pregnant. This reduced the likelihood of fertilization by unwanted aggressors in favor of fitter mates.

The human male urethra laid open on its anterior (upper) surface

External male genitalia of a Labrador Retriever

Micrograph of urethral cancer (urothelial cell carcinoma), a rare problem of the urethra.

Penises of minke whales on display at the Icelandic Phallological Museum

Genitorinary system of a raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Penis of a human, with pubic hair removed to show anatomical detail

The spine-covered penis of Callosobruchus analis, a bean weevil

Female urethral opening within vulval vestibule

Urethra. Deep dissection. Serial cross section.

Diagram which depicts the membranous urethra and the spongy urethra of a male

In most species of animals in which there is an organ that might reasonably be described as a penis, it has no major function other than intromission, or at least conveying the sperm to the female, but in the placental mammals the penis bears the distal part of the urethra, which discharges both urine during urination and semen during copulation.

- Penis

Its length differs between the sexes, because it passes through the penis in males.

- Urethra

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Diagram of the female human reproductive tract and ovaries

Vagina

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Elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract.

Pelvic anatomy including organs of the female reproductive system

An illustration showing a cut-away portion of the vagina and upper female genital tract (only one ovary and fallopian tube shown). Circular folds (also called rugae) of vaginal mucosa can be seen.

Medium-power magnification micrograph of a H&E stained slide showing a portion of a vaginal wall. Stratified squamous epithelium and underling connective tissue can be seen. The deeper muscular layers are not shown. The black line points to a fold in the mucosa.

Folds of mucosa (or vaginal rugae) are shown in the front third of a vagina.

A disposable plastic bi-valved vaginal speculum used in gynecological examination

A normal cervix of an adult as seen through the vagina (per vaginam or PV) using a bivalved vaginal speculum. The blades of the speculum are above and below and stretched vaginal walls are seen on the left and right.

Pre-menopausal vaginal mucosa (left) versus menopausal vaginal mucosa (right)

An ultrasound showing the urinary bladder (1), uterus (2), and vagina (3)

The womb represents a powerful symbol as the yoni in Hinduism. Pictured is a stone yoni found in Cát Tiên sanctuary, Lam Dong, Vietnam.

Female mammals usually have two external openings in the vulva; these are the urethral opening for the urinary tract and the vaginal opening for the genital tract.

The texture of the vaginal walls creates friction for the penis during sexual intercourse and stimulates it toward ejaculation, enabling fertilization.

Clitoris

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Female sex organ present in mammals, ostriches and a limited number of other animals.

Stages in the development of the clitoris

Created by Helen O'Connell using MRI, the first 3D image of a clitoris in an erect state with the adjacent organs of the uterus and urinary bladder

A partially exposed clitoral glans, which can't be fully exposed due to a mild case of adhesions to the clitoral hood

Structures of the vulva, including external and internal parts of the clitoris

The clitoral hood has a normal anatomical variation in size and appearance in different adult women: while it is completely covered by the labia majora in some women, standing with their legs closed, in others it is pronounced and clearly visible.

Clitoral hood (1) and clitoris (2). Labia are spread apart on the bottom image.

An enlarged clitoris due to clitoromegaly

A Georg Ludwig Kobelt illustration of the anatomy of the clitoris

Girl protesting for clitoris-awareness at a women's rights rally in Paris, 2019

With a urogenital system in which the female urinates, mates and gives birth via an enlarged, erectile clitoris, female spotted hyenas are the only female mammals devoid of an external vaginal opening.

Male and female reproductive systems of the spotted hyena, from Schmotzer & Zimmerman, Anatomischer Anzeiger (1922). Abb. 1 (Fig. 1.) Male reproductive anatomy. Abb. 2 (Fig. 2.) Female reproductive anatomy. Principal abbreviations (from Schmotzer & Zimmerman) are: T, testis; Vd, vas deferens; BU, urethral bulb; Ur, urethra; R, rectum; P, penis; S, scrotum; O, ovary; FT, tuba Fallopii; RL, ligament uteri; Ut, uterus; CC, Corpus clitoris. Remaining abbreviations, in alphabetical order, are: AG, parotid analis; B, vesica urinaria; CG, parotid Cowperi; CP, Corpus penis; CS, corpus spongiosum; GC, glans; GP, glans penis; LA, levator ani muscle; Pr, prepuce; RC, musculus retractor clitoris; RP, Musculus retractor penis; UCG, Canalis urogenital.

In humans, the visible portion – the glans – is at the front junction of the labia minora (inner lips), above the opening of the urethra.

Unlike the penis, the male homologue (equivalent) to the clitoris, it usually does not contain the distal portion (or opening) of the urethra and is therefore not used for urination.

Ejaculation

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Discharge of semen from the male reproductory tract as a result of an orgasm.

Diagram of the male pelvic and reproductive organs

Retrograde ejaculation is the condition where semen travels backwards into the bladder rather than out the urethra.

A usual precursor to ejaculation is the sexual arousal of the male, leading to the erection of the penis, though not every arousal nor erection leads to ejaculation.

Manneken Pis depicts a urinating boy (puer mingens).

Urination

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Male dog using urine to mark a spot with his scent.

Painting showing the physician Constantine the African accepting urine samples for diagnosis

Location of external urethral orifice in adult human male

Location of the bladder and urethra in adult human female (sagittal section)

Woodcut of a puer mingens, from the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, 1499

Public toilet outside the Philadelphia City Hall

Woman Urinating, etching, Rembrandt van Rijn, 1631

A man uses a urinal while urinating in a standing position.

Body position taken by a woman for urination into many female urinals: floating half squat or "skier position".

Urination in Greek antique art: Hetaera urinating into a skyphos

A horse urinating while in formation with the Queens Guards

A maned wolf urinating on a tree to mark his territory

Urination, also known as micturition, is the release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body.

In placental mammals, urine is drained through the urinary meatus, a urethral opening in the male penis or female vulval vestibule.

Cloaca

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Posterior orifice that serves as the only opening for the digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts (if present) of many vertebrate animals.

A roseate spoonbill excreting urine in flight

Cloacal opening in an Australian brushtail possum

Some aquatic turtle species can breathe underwater using a process known as cloacal respiration. In this process the turtles pump water into their cloacal orifice (labeled 1) by contracting muscles in their inguinal pocket. The water then travels to the cloacal bursae (labeled 2), which are a pair of internal pouch-like structures. The cloacal bursae are lined with long fimbriae (labeled 3), which is the site of gas exchange.

For some birds, such as ostriches, cassowaries, kiwi, geese, and some species of swans and ducks, the males do not use the cloaca for reproduction, but have a phallus.

Even in the marsupials that have one, the cloaca is partially subdivided into separate regions for the anus and urethra.